30 March 1895, was born in Shkodra Dr. Anton Ashta

In the ancient city of Shkodra, March 30^th, 1895, was born Dr. Anton Ashta, “Hero of the Labour”, “Hero of the Nation” and “Hero of the War” for the eradication of the social disease malaria in our country. The student from Shkodra, was dedicated to this fight since to the auditors of the Medical Faculty in Rome. In those distant years, he wrote in the student magazine “Shpresa e Atdheut”: “Lypset që Shqipëria të bëhet lulishte e bukur, me popull të shëndoshë e të fuqishëm”. After graduation, Anton Ashta was dedicated entirely to the study and the fight against malaria. In 1932, he published the monograph “Malaria”, where analyzing the causes of this “national disaster” stressed that “the issue is not only medical but also social, hygienic and economical.” The real fight for the eradication of malaria began under the direction of Dr. Ashta, only after the liberation. It was one of the battles and greatest victories that was crowned with success in a record time, which cannot be evaluated not only inside but also outside Albania. For the skills and the real contribution that he gave in the fight against malaria, for the experience that he has reflected in the study “Malaria in Albania”, the World Health Organization elected Dr. Ashton, a member of the Committee of Experts on malaria, where he gave his contribution over the years 1957-1970.